On Friday evening, IIT Bombay lost a second‑year Energy Science and Engineering student, Wakode, after he was caught uploading an exam question paper to ChatGPT during a mid‑term. The exam instructor and department head met with him, offering counsel and assuring no adverse impact on his academic record.
Later that night, students staged a sit‑in on the Powai campus, demanding clearer mental‑health support and stricter rules against AI misuse.
This incident marks the third suicide at the institute in the last six months, intensifying scrutiny of student‑well‑being protocols.
IIT issued a statement expressing grief, saying it is examining the circumstances and providing support to affected peers and faculty, while Abhijeet Dipke of the Cockroach Janta Party demanded urgent reforms, questioning how many more students must die before their lives become a priority.